Blogotopia is mad for PRISM and the revelations of the illusive Mr. Snowden. I am not surprised particularly, although there was a time most of my day’s work was directed to the NSA — back then in the Cold War we had “real” boogymen, of course. We had Soviets with nukes, for pity’s sake! And evil East Germans surrounding Berlin. And it was all, apparently, a sort of dry run for an American security state now?

I am surprised that many people who oppose this security state idea still attack Mr. Snowden‘s motives or character; I mean if someone pulls you out of a fire, do you really care, for instance, if he is a broke down drunk instead of Mr. February off the Firefighters Calendar?

Now, perhaps it is a bit like Sir Terry Pratchett’s humor about “small gods“….the NSA simply had to re-train to hold onto a believable purpose in a post-Cold War world? But it strikes me as more like another piece of science fiction that has never ceased to haunt me: The Gameplayers of Zan (cover image above) by M. A. Foster. Surely it can be no mistake that Foster’s job as an analyst (my job as well once, likewise the Russian linguist bit), helped create his fictional society as one SO monitored that any individual can be picked out on the street and not only tracked through a city, but be analyzed for mental state and possible intentions?

And yet, all this dull collection of information has not rendered our society safer. Boston’s finish line was blood spattered and littered with shattered extremities. Armed men spray bullets into shopping centers, street corners, and homes daily. All that security schtick really only works all “beneficially” and such IN science fiction. Of course, one side’s answer to this objection is that we need MORE security and observation. And don’t touch our guns, god-damn-it. It looks a lot like some kind of collective insanity to me. And unfortunately for those of us maintaining a slender hold on sanity; we don’t have the escape M.A. Foster’s “ler” had —- we cannot get on our secretly built (IN SPITE OF SECURITY!) spaceship and fly away from the crazy.

6 thoughts on “Summing Up The “Game””

I don’t know if Snowden is telling 100% truth without embellishment. I’m witholding judgement right now. There’s been too many instances of supposed bomb shell regulations which are half true or enhanced to highlight the so-called truth.

I’m sorry you felt my post was Faux News-ish. I did remove language which offended you because you’re right it was unfair.

I most assuredly want a debate on the surveillance state I fear we will never get a fair one.

Thank you, Gene. I don’t know if Snowden is 100% truthful either….but then, can we say the government IS? We won’t get much of a real debate over a surveillance state….but I’d say we will get that surveillance all the same!

Herland

The name of this blog, and my Dreamwidth blog, Herlander Refugee, is taken from a 1915 feminist novel "Herland". It makes my heart sing that modern women are experimenting with creation of a new "Herland"!
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